Content distribution, e.g., distribution of video programs and/or other content over large geographic regions is often performed using satellites to transmit the program content to be distributed to multiple locations at the same time. Thus, through the use of satellites, the need to transmit the same content to multiple locations though land based connections can be avoided. Satellite distribution of content has commercial advantages in that content delivery to multiple locations dispersed over large geographic regions can be achieved without the need for land based connections between the dispersed locations. Satellite distribution often allows for the distribution of valuable program content such as sporting event programs in real time or near real time. Some such programs may be subject to geographic region based program content distribution restrictions.
Generally, the cost of having multiple satellite receiver stations has been less costly than the cost of bandwidth which would be needed to distribute large amounts of content via land based links to multiple local distribution centers serving various geographic regions throughout the country. In addition, the use of satellite distribution in combination with satellite receivers at local distribution centers has offered a relatively high degree of control since the satellite receivers at different distribution centers could be controlled so as not to decode and distribute content on a per satellite receiver basis thereby preventing content delivery to the region served by a particular receiver satellite.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known distribution system 100 used for program content delivery and distribution. Satellite 102 has links, e.g., satellite communication links 103,105, with a plurality of different local distribution centers 108, 118 located in different geographic regions 104, 106, respectively. Local distribution center 108 includes a satellite receiver 110 while local distribution center 118 includes a satellite receiver 120, for receiving content from the distribution network 102. The distribution system 100 distributes, via satellite 102, the program content to a plurality of N local distribution centers 108, 118, located in different geographic regions 104, 106. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 the distribution system 100 includes local distribution centers 108, 118 corresponding to geographic regions 1 104 and N 106, respectively.
Each of the geographic regions 1 104, and N 106, serviced by one of the local distribution centers 108, 118 has a corresponding set of customer premises, e.g., customer premise 1 112, customer premise 2 114, . . . , customer premise N 116 in region 1 104 and customer premise 1 122, customer premise 2 124, . . . , customer premise N 126 in region N 106. The local distribution centers, e.g., local distribution center 108, 118, included in geographic region 104, 106, each serve a plurality of customers.
While the known approach to content distribution using satellites allows for content distribution restrictions to be implemented at a geographic region level which is relatively localized, this is due to the presence of satellite receivers at a relatively local level. Maintaining large numbers of satellite receivers at numerous locations can be costly. As the cost of land based distribution networks continues to decrease, it would be desirable if the number of satellite receiver stations could be decreased without limiting the ability to control program distribution blackouts on a relatively localized geographic region basis using the same satellite communications link used to provide program content for distribution.